A WOMAN said a tearful goodbye to her old cottage yesterday as it was torn down to make way for Southend Airport’s runway expansion.

Sandy Berry, 66, had lived in Eastwoodbury Lane for 16 years and spent £40,000 renovating the three-bedroom property, which was derelict when she bought it.

Yesterday workmen demolished the home, along with a neighbouring cottage, taking away the final obstruction to the 300-metre extension.

At the scene, she said: “I’m absolutely devastated.

“I was tearful when I moved out because of all the memories I was leaving behind. But now there’s nothing I can do but move on.”

Mrs Berry, who was paid off by airport bosses in September, has moved to what she described as a “beautiful, detached four-bed cottage in Southend”. She would not reveal how much she was paid.

The demolished cottages were built in 1918 for First World War soldiers, and Mrs Berry said even though she accepted what was happening, it was still very sad to see them go.

Mrs Berry said: “They pulled down my neighbour’s cottage first and when I saw mine standing by itself, it looked so lonely.

“I have been going back a few times to pick stuff up, but I was angry to find a couple of weeks ago some people had broken in and nicked a garden strimmer and a mower.”

She added: “It was a very idyllic place to live as you could hear the bells from St Laurence’s Church, and I used to keep about 100 animals, including chickens and geese.”

Four other nearby cottages in Eastwoodbury Lane where also pulled down recently as part of the expansion plans.